At the Rouse Avenue Court situated in Delhi, the custodial remand of K. Kavitha, a prominent figure within the BRS, has been prolonged until the 26th of March. During her appearance in court on Saturday, the BRS luminary vehemently contested the legality of her apprehension, asserting her resolve to combat the charges within the judicial arena. Addressing the press, Kavitha asserted, “This apprehension lacks legality. We shall contest it vigorously within the confines of the court. This case is entrenched in politics—a concocted and baseless allegation. Our struggle persists unabated, despite the repetitive nature of the allegations.”
Expressing dissatisfaction with the multitude of arrests during election periods, she urged the intervention of the Election Commission of India, categorizing such detentions as politically motivated. The adjudication pronounced the BRS leader before the Special Judge concerning the matter of the Delhi Excise Policy, marking the conclusion of her custodial tenure under the Enforcement Directorate. The investigative agency petitioned for an extension of K. Kavitha’s remand for an additional five days.
The national investigative body, in its pursuit of an extended remand, apprised the court of ongoing investigations at the residence of the former’s nephew, Mekha Saran. In a recent development, the Supreme Court dismissed K. Kavitha’s bail plea in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, directing her to pursue relief through the trial court, emphasizing the expeditious resolution of her application.
A panel comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh, and Bela M Trivedi underscored the need for a uniform approach in legal proceedings, denying direct recourse to the apex court for bail, particularly for individuals with political affiliations. The court mandated a prompt resolution of any bail applications submitted. Acting through her legal representative, P Mohith Rao, K. Kavitha petitioned the Supreme Court, challenging her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on charges of money laundering related to irregularities in the Delhi excise policy.
Having endured seven days of custodial interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate since her arrest on March 15, Kavitha contested the legality of her remand, invoking Article 141 of the Indian Constitution, which stipulates the binding nature of Supreme Court decisions across all judicial jurisdictions within India.
In her plea, K. Kavitha also challenged section 19 (1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Previously, the Enforcement Directorate asserted that K. Kavitha, in collaboration with senior members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, orchestrated a scheme to manipulate the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise policy, purportedly disbursing Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders in exchange for favorable treatment.
These revelations emerged three days subsequent to Kavitha’s arrest, an MLC in the Telangana Legislative Council, on allegations of involvement in the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam. Kavitha’s apprehension followed a raid on her residence in Hyderabad, during which ED officials encountered resistance from her associates.
The Enforcement Directorate disclosed that K. Kavitha, along with her associates, conspired with AAP leadership to influence the Delhi Excise policy, implicating illicit financial transactions benefiting AAP. Meanwhile, Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, found himself in ED custody for a period of seven days following his arrest in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case. Additionally, two senior AAP members, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, face judicial custody in relation to the same case. Sisodia, the erstwhile Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, was apprehended by the CBI on February 26, while Sanjay Singh, a Rajya Sabha member, was arrested by the ED on October 5.